Three West Indian players, along with a non-coaching member of team management, have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the start of their Pakistan tour. The three players, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell and Kyle Mayers, returned positive tests in Karachi. The West Indies squad arrived in Pakistan on Thursday. The Caribbean side is slated to play three T20Is and three ODIs in Pakistan on the limited-overs tour, which kicks off Monday.
“Following PCR testing conducted on arrival in Pakistan, Cricket West Indies (CWI) can confirm that four members of the West Indies touring party have tested positive for COVID-19 and will now undergo a period of self-isolation. Left arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell, all-rounders Roston Chase and Kyle Mayers along with a non-coaching team management unit member have returned positive tests in Karachi and will therefore not be available to compete in the upcoming Pakistan series.All four members are fully vaccinated and have no serious symptoms,” said a statement from Cricket West Indies.
According to the official release, the results came in while the players and staff were still in room isolation.
“Our pre-arrival testing protocols in Pakistan confirmed four (4) COVID-19 positives. These were confirmed while the players and staff were still in room isolation, so despite this significant setback in our preparation plans, we are confident that the tour can continue as everyone else returned negative PCRs before their arrival in Pakistan and two negative PCRs since they were in Karachi. The risk of COVID-19 infection is impossible to completely remove from a cricket tour, despite the fact that many of our players have been living in biosafe bubbles almost continuously since before the CPL This unusual loss of three players from our squad will have serious consequences for our squad preparations but the rest of the squad is in good spirits and will start training today for our first game on Monday,” said a quote from West Indies Cricket CEO Johnny Grave.
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“All four individuals will remain isolated from the rest of the West Indian squad and are now under the care and supervision of the Team Physician, Dr Akshai Mansingh. They will remain in isolation for ten (10) days and until a negative PCR test results,” the press release said.
The three-match T20I series kicks off on Monday, December 13 and will be played at Karachi National Stadium.
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